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So, I wanted to show ya’ll how I do that for a black tie wedding I attended. A friend from High School got married and the dress code was Black Tie. They have exquisite taste, so I knew it was going to be bougie and elegant, so I wanted to to challenge myself on budget. I totally wanted to do it in a couture dress/red carpet way, so I challenged myself  to pull together a full Black Tie look for $100.

Tips for picking the perfect Dress:

• Fabric (it will instantly make an outfit look more expensive)

  •  I like Sequins, Beads, Satin, Velvet and Chiffon. Sometimes beaded, sequin or satin dresses can be a bit pricey, but you can definitely find a dress for $150 on Asos.

• Fit over style 

  • Look for a dress that suits your body type. When a dress fits your body type it looks like it was made for you. You’ll definitely want the dress to fit you perfectly, so a tailor is key too. A dress that is tailored to your body will instantly make it look handmade, even couture like. Fit makes an outfit look and feel way more expensive. Couture and red carpet looks are always well-made and tailored to perfection, so be sure to visit the tailor.

• Accessorize Accessorize Accessorize

  • The accessories you choose will tie a whole look together and instantly elevate it. Statement earrings, a nice clutch, and a good shoes totally makes an outfit super elegant. If you’re on the hunt for an affordable shoe shop check out MissLola. I picked out a pair for the Cocktail party and they were super elegant. You can also use promo code IMLVH for discount.

My Picks:

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I decided to shop online for my dress. I prefer to see a variety of options and I like to see fabric details and reviews on how they fit. Like I said, I’m going for a Couture/Red Carpet vibe, but on a budget. The stores I found the most unique and elevated pieces were Nasty Gal & ASOS. Unfortunately, my NastyGal package got held up, so it didn’t arrive in time – thankful I ordered a handful from ASOS, which I shared in this video. I’m bummed, because NastyGal was having their 50% sale, so I scored a couple of dresses that ranged for $20 – $40, but I loved the ASOS dresses.

So, I ordered 6 dresses from ASOS, so I could have a couple to try-on and choose from. I’m pleasantly surprised with the quality of the dresses. I followed my tips and totally went with the black velvet one. This dress was $87. After I picked this dress I decided to keep the whole look elegant and understated. I picked out a variety of dresses from Asos, but the velvet was so luxe and couture to me I opted for that one.  I didn’t buy new shoes for this look, because I invested in a pair of Stuart Weitzman Nudsit heel years ago and they’re super elegant. They were my first full priced designer shoes and they’ve been totally worth the investment. They’re my go to for every special occasion. I ended up borrowing.a really chic Vintage handbag from my Mom, so that didn’t cost me anything. And, opted for diamonds studs, shiny waved hair, and glowy makeup. Since I didn’t have to buy new shoes or a bag my outfit came out to $90, because of tax.

I’m happy with my look and how it turned out, so I hope it’s proof that you can totally pull an outfit together affordably with the few tips I shared above.